Scheduling and coordination in a wireless network

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) transceiver configured to receive N orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) data streams from a first network device and a second network device, wherein M data streams are from the first network device and N-M of the data streams are from the second network device, and wherein the M data streams and the N-M data streams are substantially synchronized. Further, the transmissions from the first network device and the second network device are scheduled and coordinated based on a determined channel quality of a radio channel between the first network device and the UE, wherein a first number of data streams used for communication with the UE in a time period and a second number of data streams transmitted within the time period are adjusted based on the determined channel quality.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A user equipment (UE) comprising:
 a receiver; and 
 a processor; 
 the receiver and the processor are configured to simultaneously receive a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) streams from a first base station and detect data from the received plurality of streams; 
 the receiver and the processor are configured to, based on detected data from the first base station, receive and detect data from an OFDM stream from the first base station and an OFDM stream from a second base station; and 
 the receiver and the processor are configured to, based on detected data from the second base station, receive and detect data from a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station and detected data from the received plurality of streams from the first base station, wherein the detected data received from the plurality of streams from the first base station and the second base station are different. 
 
     
     
       2. The UE of  claim 1  wherein the first base station and the second base station are autonomously schedule the UE. 
     
     
       3. The UE of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of OFDM streams from the first base station are MIMO streams and the plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station are MIMO streams. 
     
     
       4. The UE of  claim 1  wherein the receiver and the processor are configured to receive and detect data from at least one OFDM stream from the first base station and a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station. 
     
     
       5. The UE of  claim 4  wherein scheduling from the first base station and the second base station are coordinated. 
     
     
       6. The UE of  claim 1  further comprising a transmitter, wherein the transmitter and the processor are configured to transmit channel quality information to the first base station and the second base station and receive and detect data from the at least one OFDM stream from the first base station and the plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station is based on the transmitted channel quality information. 
     
     
       7. The UE of  claim 1  wherein the receiver and the processor are configured to receive and detect data from a plurality of OFDM streams from the first base station and a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station. 
     
     
       8. A method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 simultaneously receiving a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) streams from a first base station and detecting data from the received plurality of streams; 
 detecting data from the first base station and receiving and detecting data from an OFDM stream from the first base station and an OFDM stream from a second base station; and 
 detecting data from the second base station and receiving and detecting data from a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station and detecting data from the received plurality of streams from the first base station, wherein the detected data received from the plurality of streams from the first base station and the second base station are different. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein the first base station and the second base station are autonomously schedule the UE. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of OFDM streams from the first base station are MIMO streams and the plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station are MIMO streams. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 receiving and detecting data from at least one OFDM stream from the first base station and a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein scheduling from the first base station and the second base station are coordinated. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 transmitting channel quality information to the first base station and the second base station and the receiving and detecting data from the at least one OFDM stream from the first base station and the plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station is based on the transmitted channel quality information. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 receiving and detecting data from a plurality of OFDM streams from the first base station and a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station. 
 
     
     
       15. At least one non-transient computer readable medium containing program instructions to perform a method of:
 simultaneously receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) streams from a first base station and detecting data from the received plurality of streams; 
 detecting data from the first base station and receiving and detecting, by the UE, data from an OFDM stream from the first base station and an OFDM stream from a second base station; and 
 detecting data from the second base station and receiving and detecting, by the UE, data from a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station and detecting data from the received plurality of streams from the first base station, wherein the detected data received from the plurality of streams from the first base station and the second base station are different. 
 
     
     
       16. The at least one non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the first base station and the second base station are autonomously schedule the UE. 
     
     
       17. The at least one non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of OFDM streams from the first base station are MIMO streams and the plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station are MIMO streams. 
     
     
       18. The at least one non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15  further containing program instructions to perform:
 receiving and detecting data from at least one OFDM stream from the first base station and a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station. 
 
     
     
       19. The at least one non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15  further containing program instructions to perform:
 transmitting channel quality information to the first base station and the second base station and the simultaneously receiving and detecting data from the at least one OFDM stream from the first base station and the plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station is based on the transmitted channel quality information. 
 
     
     
       20. The at least one non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15  further containing program instructions to perform:
 detecting data from a plurality of OFDM streams from the first base station and a plurality of OFDM streams from the second base station.